The warning from his dead master rippled through Obi-Wan's mind milliseconds after the blow landed by Jinn broke his nose.

Padawan watch out! Defend yourself, Jinn is not permitted to abuse you in such a manner.

He didn't have time to think through what he should do. He didn't know if the Jedi master was allowed to do what he had just done but again he didn't have time to contemplate Qui-Gon's irrational behavior. Obi-Wan Kenobi also didn't know that his dead master had intentionally and oh so cruelly sounded the alarm in his mind too late. Too late to stop the attack on him by his new master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

There was little time to do anything but to react and he did. He answered the call to defend himself by his aggressor as he had been taught to do by his master Tahl. He countered his new master's wrath as he would any enemy that was a threat. Master Jinn had already inflicted injury to the apprentice and the apprentice was not sure if there was somewhere in his new master's mind a desire to inflict more bodily damage.

Obi-Wan Kenobi unsheathed his saber and activated it. It was not a reaction that should have been done lightly, without forethought but again no time to think things through, Padawan Kenobi reacted.

His reaction would later be found to have catastrophic consequences where his chance of becoming a Jedi knight was concerned. He didn't stop to think through the ramifications of his actions; pulling his weapon on a Jedi master, not just any master, one of the most celebrated Jedi masters in the Jedi order to date He would never know if his unconscionable action was a direct result of the proddingfrom his dead master or his own uncontrolled anger that set him on Jinn.

Yes, the apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi drew his perfectly calibrated saber. The lightsaber utilized the maximum strength of power crystals, sequenced perfectly with the aid of the force and the righteousness of its owner, to become the total ultimate weapon for all Jedi. The cobalt luminosity of the saber startled Master Jinn.

Thoughts of a blue ghost Tahl paraded through his mind like an elusive swaying marionette, casting shadows that were indelibly imprinted in his mind. He at first mistook the blue glow of Obi-Wan's saber as being the illuminated, though distorted figure of his own true love. Suddenly he realized the hazy blue beam that shadow danced in the moonlight came from his own apprentice's saber.

With his mind numbed by thoughts of Tahl and the stunned realization that he was about to be attacked by his apprentice, Jinn reacted out of habit. He drew and activated his own crystal power-driven lightsaber of emerald. It was an unconscionable act done by a conscious master, who had lost touch momentarily with reality.

By now Dorrie had reached the other Jedi. She didn't dare pull her light saber. It would only complicate an already deadly situation. Nevertheless, she knew this fight between master and apprentice had to be stopped and now.

Before one of them really gets hurt.

On rethought she wasn't sure which Jedi presented the most danger at the moment, Jinn or Kenobi.

"Stop this now. What in the sake of a Sith are you two doing? You are Jedi. You, Master Jinn know better."

Thankfully Dorrie broke up the confrontation before sabers met.

Qui-Gon shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. For the first time he realized his saber was grasped shakily in his right hand. He looked up in astonishment to realize who he'd leveled it against.

Obi-Wan's reactions closely mimicked his new master's.

Both seemed in total denial of their actions. Neither understood how their disagreement had reached such a dangerous level. The master and the apprentice had Tahl forefront in their thoughts.

"What. Whoa.. Wait.. what just happened here?"

Qui-Gon asked the question to Master Starworth because he truthfully didn't know.

Obi-Wan was breathless from the attack. He was nearly choking on his own blood that drained down the back of his neck. The nose bleed was a heavy one. Although he suddenly felt woozy, it was not because of the injury but for what he had almost done; attacked his own master. He knelt down on the ground to keep from falling there. Dorrie was already down in his face, attempting to stop the bleeding.

She literally cupped her hand under his nose to catch the red gushing liquid to keep it out of Obi's mouth while he gulped for air. As she attempted to aid the padawan she shouted angrily to Jinn.

"How the hell do I know what happened? You tell me. You were one of the principle players in this inexcusable display of abuse. Get your ass over here Jinn. He is your apprentice, injured by you. You have to help him gain control of this bleeding? JEEZ I should be rescuing my apprentice not breaking up a fight between a Jedi master and his padawan."

Qui-Gon walked resentfully to the downed apprentice. He did not want the boy to bleed to death but he was not adverse to the idea of him suffering. In fact, he wanted Obi-Wan to endure some lingering painful remembrances as long as they were not deadly. The revelation that Tahl spoke through the force though dead had perpetuated his attack on Obi-Wan and he didn't even care to analyze why or how his dead love did it. He could not explain his actions any more than Obi-Wan could have, had he been asked to.

"Here let me see what I can do."

Jinn pushed Master Starworth aside, a little harsher than he intended. She lost her balance and fell to the ground on her butt; from her one knee she was balanced on.

He made no apology for his action.

"If you want me to tend to him, allow me the space to get down there and do it. I am not of small built you know."

Obi-Wan's reaction to his master's touch was the opposite of what it should have been. He flinched and Jinn noticed it though chose to ignore it.

"Here." The large master was down on both knees. He pinched Obi-Wan's nose together with the forefinger and thumb of his one hand and tilted the boy's head back and rested it on the palm of his other one.

As he began the Jedi healing process on his apprentice he felt a difference in Obi-Wan's mind. In the heat of the moment he'd nearly forgotten he was solely responsible for Obi-Wan's shields.

He knew he hadn't strengthened them during their confrontation, yet they were as tightly in place as if he'd personally netted them together with his own force manipulation. In any case, Jinn realized the boy's shields should be down, open, his mind vulnerable for anyone to read but it wasn't so. It was like an unnatural block on the apprentice's mind that came from "no where" or worse somewhere unknown. Jinn pushed the absurdity of his thoughts from his mind. After all, no one could be shielding for Obi-Wan but him. In order to help someone shield the other person had to hold some kind of bond with them. He reasoned quickly that the boy must have regained some of his shielding ability.

Jinn continued with his administration of his force healing, allowing it to radiate from him to Obi-Wan. The healing balm of the force flowed easily from the master to his apprentice. One would not have thought their training bond connection strong enough to support healing had they witnessed what happened between Jinn and Kenobi just minutes earlier. An observer familiar with the Jedi would have thought they could not connect in any way through the force.

Padawan Kenobi felt the added strength enter his body instantly upon the master's touch. It caused the blood flow to slow to a trickle. Qui-Gon's stern stone green eyes bore holes through the apprentice as he continued healing him.

Kenobi said nothing. Was there anything to say? Both had breached Jedi ethics with their actions. Dorrie wasn't sure which was in the wrong the most. Nevertheless, what she did know was that Obi-Wan's actions could prove detrimental to his chances on becoming a Jedi knight. If the council chose they could deem Jinn's over reaction to Kenobi's disrespect as just that an overreaction but not unduly so. It was not written any where in Jedi laws that prohibited a master from using corporal punishment; to what degree would be the question.

The council, Yoda in particular will no doubt say Jinn's own power caused him to reap so much injury to the boy, but that it was not intentional but accidental. Yes he will get a reprimand. As for pulling his saber on his own apprentice There can be no doubt he will cleared of that. Obi-Wan pulled his first.

Obi attempted to throw his master's hand from where the force flowed through it to his forehead but Jinn's power would not permit it.

"Allow me this Padawan. For this again will not be so. "

Obi didn't have time to pick through his master's last words to him, confusing as they were.

Jinn leaned closer to the downed apprentice and spoke in a whisper so Dorrie could not hear him.

"I am not sure what just transpired between us, why or how it happened. I am not even sure that your actions were not under the guidance of evil itself, the dark side. But I will get to the bottom of this. Hell, I am not sure who is at fault, if I am must be truthful. I will know before this mission is complete. And if by chance I find beyond a reasonable doubt that the entire fault lies with you, I will see to it you are not a Jedi. My precious little padawan I will also "personally" make sure you never use your powers for anything outside the Jedi order…"

Terror-filled eyes caught the viscous glint in his master's angry jaded orbs.

Just as softly as was Jinn's whispered ranting, Obi-Wan responded with gurgling spurts of words coming out as he struggled to clear his air passage of his own blood.

"Is that a threat Master Jinn?"

Qui-Gon grabbed the boy's by his elbow and hefted him up with one clean, unfriendly hoist.

He made no attempt to hide the visual contempt for his apprentice from the other Jedi master nor did he attempt to lower his voice with his next words. Words accented by an inhuman low guttural and animalistic resonance.

"No "dear" Padawan, it is not a threat but a promise. NO, not just a promise, call it a sworn oath I now make on the pyre of my dead beloved."

Obi-Wan jerked his arm away and walked from Qui-Gon and by Master Starworth, avoiding any more contact or conversation with either of them.

Dorrie stepped closer to Qui-Gon and pointed toward Obi-Wan.

"What was that all about?"

Dorrie witnessed the hushed words and heard Jinn's final statement to his padawan. Curiosity got to her as to what Jinn had just sworn an oath to. However, neither Jinn nor Kenobi spoke again about it. They jointly tried to appear as if nothing had happened.

"Don't you think we have halted the search for your apprentice long enough? Instead of worrying about a few heated words between my apprentice and me, I suggest we tend to finding Bruck, agreed?"

His gaze turned from Dorrie to his apprentice. Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow as if he expected an objection from him. He waited a second longer but did not get one. If looks could kill Obi-Wan would be dead from the Master's diabolically evil scrutiny of him.

With her hands on her hips, Dorrie let out an exasperated sigh and followed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, who now appeared to be the two most serene Jedi in the order……..

T.B.C.

HINT, HINT, Keep this line in your memory for further references.

"Allow me this Padawan. For this again will not be so. "

ewen